One - Tell Me The Story
"Guys, I have some great news," Donna said, as she entered the basement.
"You started dating someone that's better than Eric?" Jackie asked, throwing a look in Forman's direction.
"No!" Donna said, her joy undeterred by Jackie's burn. "You know how my dad reconciled with Joanne and got back together with her six months ago? Well, they decided to get married!"
"How is that great news?" Kelso asked. "Oh! Is a monkey gonna officiate the wedding?"
Donna gave him a weird look. "No, moron. Joanne said she doesn't like big fancy weddings, so they decided to do a Vegas wedding! They're taking us all out to Vegas!"
"When?" Hyde asked. A Vegas trip could be fun. It would be more fun if he and Jackie were still together, but she had ruined that with the three heartbreaks she'd given him. The ultimatum, not staying for his answer and Kelso in the motel room.
"In a week," Donna said.
Jackie grinned. "This sounds great! I've always wanted to see Vegas. Ooh, I have a really sparkly dress I can wear-"
"Jackie, no one cares what you're gonna wear," Forman said. "Donna, we can't legally drink in Nevada."
"And you waited until you were eighteen to have your first beer?" Hyde asked. "Doesn't have to be legal for us to do it."
"Yeah, but… my parents," Forman said.
"They'll be hanging out with my dad and Joanne. Joanne is against bachelor and bachelorette parties, so they'll just be hanging out at a club and letting us do our own thing," Donna said. "I can't wait!"
"I can't wait to see the strippers," Fez said. "I had a dream that Hyde married a stripper after he found Kelso and Jackie after they did it."
Out of the corner of his eye, Hyde saw Jackie tense a little. He focused on Fez. "That would never happen, because I don't wanna get married." At least, not to a stripper. But he didn't say that out loud. He and Jackie would not be getting married, no matter how much he wanted to. She'd made that clear when she slept with Kelso.
Vegas would be fun, though. He'd thought about going to Vegas after finding Kelso in the motel room, but the El Camino's gas tank was low so he just went back to Point Place. Now, though, he had his chance.
Jackie's suitcase rolled smoothly over the shiny tiles at the Madison airport. Fez's suitcase with one broken wheel rolled less smoothly, bumping and veering to the right every few seconds. Jackie had put a good deal of distance between herself and Fez to avoid getting hit.
Her distance from Fez meant she had to walk closer to Steven. Which she wouldn't mind if she wasn't trying to get over him. Deep down, she knew that task was impossible. She loved him more than she had ever loved anybody. She couldn't imagine a life without him.
But she had to. She had ruined their chances of getting back together by sleeping with Michael.
"Everyone have their tickets?" Bob asked from the front of their crowd. They all grabbed their tickets from their bags, purses, coat pockets and pants pockets. "Then let's get going!"
An hour later, they were all through security. It would have been faster if Michael hadn't had a bottle rocket in his vest. Still, they would not miss their flight. Mrs. Forman had insisted they leave early.
So, Jackie sat on an uncomfortable bench with Steven pressed in tightly beside her. The bench was only wide enough for five people, and six of them had crammed onto this bench. She'd expected Steven to move, but he seemed unfazed by their closeness.
"So, Donna, where are your dad and Joanne getting married?" Jackie asked, leaning around Steven to look at Donna.
"This church called 'Weddings and Waffles.' You get free waffles with your wedding," Donna said. "Huh. That's probably why my dad picked it."
"Bob never passes up a free waffle," Fez said. "And I never pass up free M&Ms."
"Do the wedding guests get waffles too?" Michael asked.
"I don't know. I've never been there," Donna said. "I just realized this is my second time out of Wisconsin! That kicks ass!"
"Only time I ever left Wisconsin was when my mom accidentally drove to Michigan when she was supposed to take me to school," Steven said.
"How does that happen?" Fez asked.
"She was drunk. I was asleep in the backseat. She forgot about me," Steven explained. "The liquor store in Michigan was pretty cool."
"First time I left Wisconsin was when my parents took me out to the coast. We spent some time on Cape Cod. It was one of two times I've ever seen the ocean," Eric said.
"I love the ocean. Only time I ever saw it was when me and Donna were in California," Michael said. "Man, I loved California."
"Oh, I'm sure you loved running from our engagement and cheating on me with random beach trash," Jackie said.
"And I'm sure you enjoyed making out with Hyde while I was on a sandy beach throwing up popsicle wrappers," Michael said.
"I did enjoy that. Of course, I can't enjoy that anymore, but whatever," Jackie said, leaning back on the bench until her back made contact with the cold glass of the window behind her.
"Yeah? And whose fault is that?" Steven asked, looking at her over his shoulder.
"Guys, you weren't invited here to bicker," Donna said.
"Yes, you were invited here to watch me flirt with Las Vegas strippers," Fez said. "Oh, and to see Bob and Joanne get married."
Jackie opened her mouth to respond, but the loudspeaker above their heads crackled loudly.
"Passengers in first class on flight 3068 to Las Vegas, Nevada may start boarding. Passengers in first class on flight 3068 may start boarding."
"That's me and Joanne. The rest of you are stuck in coach," Bob said. He took Joanne's hand and they walked toward the gate. Jackie glanced at her ticket. Row 15, seat 2.
After what felt like forever, passengers in rows 10-15 were called for boarding. Jackie followed Eric down the jet bridge and onto the plane. Jackie placed her purse and carry-on bag into the overhead storage before taking her seat. Luckily, she had a window seat. Unluckily, the row only had two seats and her seatmate was none other than Steven.
This was going to be a long flight.
"You've been on a plane before, right?" Hyde asked, keeping his gaze forward and away from Jackie.
"Yeah. I went on trips with my parents in the summer when I was younger. I told you about that time we went to Europe," Jackie said.
"Yeah, I kinda remember. Wanna tell me again?" Hyde said, still keeping his eyes away from Jackie and the window that showed just how far away from the ground they were.
"You never wanted to listen to my stories when we were together. Why would you want to now that we're broken up?" Jackie asked.
Hyde pushed his jaw forward, uncomfortable. He was a little freaked out by the whole plane thing, but he didn't want Jackie to know that. "Uh… I don't know. We haven't really talked in a while, so…"
"Oh my God!" Jackie said. "You've never been on a plane. You're scared, aren't you?"
"I'm not scared." Hyde finally looked at her and, subsequently, the window that showed only clouds. He looked away, directing his gaze at the back of the seat in front of him. "Just tell me the story again."
"All right." Jackie crossed her legs, which was a feat in the limited space of their row. "So, the summer before I started middle school, we went to Europe…"
Hyde listened intently to Jackie's stories about her trips to Europe with her parents. He remembered a few of them and chimed in with little jokes every once in a while.
After way too long, Hyde finally stepped back onto solid ground. In Las Vegas, the city of sin. Of course, right now they could only see the airport terminal of sin. The city would come soon. Hopefully after they got some grub.
Red gathered everyone together and forced them all over to baggage claim. Once Hyde had grabbed his bag, he stood next to Jackie. "Thanks for, uh… for talking to me on the plane."
"No problem," Jackie said. "It's what any good friend would do."
Hearing her describe him as a 'friend' poured cold disappointment over his heart. He'd have to get used to it, though. He and Jackie would not be getting back together.
Red herded everyone over to the main part of the airport, where all the restaurants were. "Dad, are we getting lunch?" Forman asked.
"Not here. They always overcharge in airports. Besides, we have all these bags," Red said. To emphasize his point, he readjusted the strap of his duffel bag on his shoulder.
"We'll get lunch somewhere outside the airport," Bob said, holding Joanne's hand.
Red led the ten of them out of the airport and over to the bus that would take them to the hotel. They stored their luggage in the compartment under the bus, then boarded. Jackie went to sit with Donna, leaving Hyde to sit with Kelso.
"Man, I'm so excited to see Vegas. I told Brooke I'd bring her back a souvenir since Bob wouldn't let her come," Kelso said.
"And she has to take care of Betsy, right?" Hyde asked.
"Oh yeah. I should get Betsy something, too. You think they'll have stuffed animals?" Kelso asked.
"I don't know, I've never been." Hyde looked out the window at the cloudless blue sky and palm trees. This trip would be enjoyable, even if he and Jackie were just friends.
Fifteen minutes later, Hyde stood next to Donna on the Las Vegas strip. Jackie was eyeing one of the flashier buildings distastefully. Kelso and Fez were pointing out clubs. Forman and Red were bickering over hotel room things. Bob and Mrs. Forman were telling Joanne about their gambling luck.
Red waved his hand at Forman, signalling the end of their argument. He turned to the rest of their group. "I can't believe we're letting you six dumbasses roam around in Vegas for a few days. Who knows what the hell you're all gonna do?"
Hyde knew one thing for sure. Whatever they did do, it would not be good.